Young House Love

DIY Home Decorating Projects, Tutorials, & Shenanigans

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Wanna See Some Finished Bedrooms & Bathrooms at The Duplex?

We’re working overtime (so many trips to the beach these days!) to get all of the rooms in the duplex finished and photographed so we can get our rental listing up on Airbnb for weeklong summer bookings. Don’t worry, we’ll make a big announcement when that happens – you won’t miss it! So even though we still have a bunch of rooms that aren’t quite done yet (like 2 kitchens, 2 living rooms, 2 laundry rooms, and 2 more bedrooms and bathrooms), it feels extremely momentous to be 100% finished with the four rooms in this post. *Please imagine every single celebratory emoji here* So without further ado, I’ll show you around the two bedrooms

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#137: The Next Home We’re Taking On

We’ve got a really exciting announcement this week about a new design project we’re taking on, including how it came to be, what has us most excited, and why it’s going to challenge us in some new ways (did we mention it’s out-of-state?). We’re also sharing how last week’s spring break trip reinforced our mission to minimize our belongings, even if John did bring home something very strange from vacation. Plus, a new solution we found for wrangling digital photos, a DIY tool that’s brilliantly simple, and… well… nutmeat. What’s New Like we mentioned in the episode, our Spring Break trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida was another reminder that all four of us are perfectly

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The Duplex Kitchen Backsplashes Are In!

We’re nearing the finish line on both of the duplex kitchens and today we’re psyched to share one HUGE to-do list hurdle we recently cleared: tiling both kitchen backsplashes! Yes, since it’s a two-unit house, we had two kitchens to install at once, and then we had two backsplashes to do, which was pretty daunting going into things, but we managed to knock them both out on a recent 3-day weekend. And it feels great to have them off of our to do list. So today I wanted to share how they turned out, along with 8 things you can do to set yourself up for a speedy and successful tile project. We still have

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#136: Maximizing House Joy (For Minimal Money)

This week we’re talking to Joyful author and expert Ingrid Fetell Lee about some simple ways to inject joy into your home without breaking the bank. She also explains why joy is easier to achieve than happiness – and how seeking it at home can actually help you unlock your decor style. Plus Sherry marked her recent birthday by getting a long-awaited tattoo (actually, two of them!) so she’s explaining the meaning behind them, how much it hurt, and what finally convinced her to go for it. We also share our latest escape room attempt, how we’re battling car clutter, and a BIG change to the podcast that you won’t want to miss.   New

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Before & After Of The Back Of The Duplex

Earlier this month we showed you the front porch makeover of the duplex, and today we’re taking you around back to show you how the backside has been transformed (hindquarters? rear? rump? let’s just stick with backside). And yes, you can finally see my beloved diamond doors in all of their glory! Along with the little metal awnings we added, our new back steps, and even those outdoor showers (covered by an extra long metal awning for privacy). Ok and also cute-factor because apparently I’m just really into awnings. There’s actually a lot of work being done to the back yard at the moment (sheds, patios, and fences are in progress as you read this!!!!)

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#135: How Many Dollhouses Is Too Many Dollhouses?

If you think our podcast has tackled this question already, JUST YOU WAIT! The universe recently tested Sherry’s dollhouse fixation and whether she passed or failed it, well, may depend on who you ask. We also share what item Ikea was mysteriously selling in bulk – but only in America (we laughed out loud at the big reveal) and we hear from some listeners about how space makeovers can affect behavior in a fascinating way. Plus some interesting lessons someone learned when they challenged themselves to dress in only one color. And we talk about the always emotional topic of textured walls. Buckle your seatbelts. What’s New Below is a “before” of the dollhouse that

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Tons Of Curtain Hanging Tips & A Quick Way To Hang Rods

Last fall we shared our trick for hanging affordable Ikea curtains so they look a lot more expensive than their $14 price tag per panel would suggest (across an entire house you can save thousands with that trick & these curtains alone!!). But since we were just replacing our old bedroom curtains when we wrote that post, we skipped the crucial step of actually hanging the curtain rods themselves. And since we just installed approximately one million curtains at the duplex (okay, 16 of them, but that’s a pretty notable amount to hang all at once) we wanted to share a new trick that we used to speed things up, keep everything looking level and

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#134: Where Have All The Family Photos Gone?

Today we’re sharing how to find the right balance when you’re choosing between artwork or family photos for certain walls – and we’re revealing where we’ve subconsciously gravitated towards putting personal photos in our own home (and why we think that is!). We also have tips for how to personalize your walls beyond the usual smiling-at-the-camera snapshot. And we’ve officially gone shed crazy (like really, really shed crazy), and the silver lining that we discovered after a yearlong delay at the beach house that’s saving us money and getting us excited for the summer. Plus I’m finally jumping on the crystal train. I know, it’s unexpected. What’s New Here’s a peek at the patio &

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The Tools (And Tricks) You Need To Install An Ikea Kitchen Yourself

Many of you have asked for tips and tricks to make installing an Ikea kitchen go more smoothly and look (and function) the best it possibly can. And the good news is that after installing three of them in a little over a year and a half (!!!), we have learned A TON about how to make things a little easier and help you end up with a better result. So settle in, I’ve got twenty tools & tips that can make all the difference. First off, we like Ikea cabinets and have personally installed them in five rooms: our laundry room & bonus room at home, our beach house kitchen, and now these two

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#133: The Fascinating Ways Homes Differ Around The World

Over 600 people wrote in to tell us about design norms from their specific country or region, and today we’re sharing some of the most popular, interesting, and unique responses. From the different ways we sleep and shower, to how we do laundry and how we do, um, our business – you guys gave us a fascinating window into how and why homes don’t all look alike around the globe. I also issue a public apology for fighting Sherry on a design choice in the duplex kitchen, and we share the Instagram account that’s the perfect pick me up to add to your routine. What’s New If you missed our original disagreement about the cabinetry

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A Front Porch Makeover At The Duplex!

It feels like a while since you’ve seen the front of the duplex (I blame winter) but that’s going to change today. And let me tell you… THINGS HAVE TURNED A CORNER! There’s no landscaping yet, the grass is patchy, and Sean the Contractor’s gigantic sign is still there… … but boy oh boy is she lookin’ fynnnnnnnneee when we compare her to where we started: All of the not original details came down – like the weird plastic wagon wheels and strange abacus trim that was added in the 70s, the plastic too-small shutters, the broken vinyl porch railing, all those satellite dishes, and the duct tape along the roofline. And we maintained or

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#132: Are We Sabotaging Our Sleeping Spaces?

What if there were little changes we could all make to our bedrooms and sleeping habits to sleep better and feel more rested in the morning? Today we’re talking about how a sleep expert thinks we should all be maximizing our bedrooms, including the perfect mattress size, the ideal bedtime, and what items we should banish from our bedsides. Plus, why are there such diverging practices about shoes being on or off inside people’s homes? We’re sharing our shoe rules and why they may be strange to some. Oh and we crank Sherry’s salt lamp obsession up to 11 with a visit to a salt therapy room. What’s New First things first, here are the

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